| | PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson, criticized for everything
from his behavior off the court to being selfish on the court,
earned nothing but praise from teammates and coaches for his
ability to play through pain.
Despite a partially torn and bruised rotator cuff in his
shooting shoulder, Iverson has not missed a game since sustaining
the injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 20.
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| Iverson |
Iverson, who was diagnosed with the right shoulder tear Monday,
played 37 minutes and had the best shooting game of his career in
the Philadelphia 76ers' 106-87 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on
Tuesday. He hit 15 of 18 shots (83 percent) for 35 points.
"He's been playing hurt all year," Sixers coach Larry Brown
said. "He gets banged around a lot. But he has a big heart. A lot
of guys take the time off. He takes a pounding and keeps coming
back."
Iverson did not immediately reveal his injury, and even tried to
treat himself at home for a week because he feared doctors would
not let him play. Even though his status against Dallas was called
a game-time decision, Iverson never considered sitting out the
game. He wore a bandage on his shoulder to protect the bruise and
played as if nothing bothered him.
"This is what I do," he said. "It kills me to sit and watch a
game. It kills me. It's not time for me to sit out. My teammates
need me, not for scoring and not for defense, they just need me
period. And I need to be with my teammates."
Iverson, the NBA's leading scorer at 30.2 points per game, had
endured the worst shooting slump of his career, hitting just 40 of
121 shots (33 percent) in the five games prior to his performance
against Dallas. But the controversial star would not use his injury
as an excuse.
"I'm not going to blame it on that," Iverson said. "It was
just me. I was taking shots that didn't fall."
Brown, who has clashed with Iverson several times during their
three years together, said he admires Iverson's character.
"He doesn't complain. I've heard a lot of excuses in my life so
it's pretty neat when a guy stands up," Brown said. "A lot of
guys late in the game don't want to be found. I admire guys who
stand up and take that responsibility."
Iverson's teammates said they respect his desire to play the
game at all costs. Though the roster lists him at only 6-foot, 165
pounds, Iverson never hesitates to drive inside against much
bigger, more physical opponents. He consistently gets knocked to
the floor only to get up and continue shooting.
"He's a warrior," Theo Ratliff said.
"He's a tough kid," Eric Snow said. "That's no secret."
While his injury is not career-threatening, team doctors have
warned Iverson that his shoulder problem may hinder him the
remainder of the season. | |
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